PXD070767

PXD070767 is an original dataset announced via ProteomeXchange.

Title	Proteomic analysis of dimorphic sperm in the Cabbage White Butterfly, Pieris rapae
Description	Sperm dimorphism, the production of two distinct sperm morphs by a single male, is a widespread but poorly understood reproductive phenomenon. In Lepidoptera, fertilizing eupyrene sperm coexist with anucleate apyrene sperm, which cannot fertilize eggs but are nevertheless required for successful reproduction. Despite the prevalence and presumed adaptive significance of sperm dimorphism, the molecular basis of this trait remains poorly understood. Here, we characterize the proteome of dimorphic sperm in the Cabbage White butterfly, Pieris rapae, an emerging model for sexual selection and postcopulatory interactions. Using high-resolution, label-free mass spectrometry, we identified more than 1,600 proteins, nearly doubling the number previously reported for other lepidopteran species. Differential abundance analyses revealed eupyrene sperm were enriched for proteins linked to ion transport and vacuolar acidification, while apyrene sperm were enriched for mitochondrial and respiratory functions. Unexpectedly, comparative homology analyses with two other Lepidoptera, Danaus plexippus and Manduca sexta, showed P. rapae shared more homologous sperm proteins with M. sexta than with the more closely related D. plexippus, highlighting complex evolutionary dynamics of sperm proteomes. Together, these findings expand our understanding of sperm function and diversity in Lepidoptera, highlight the distinct roles of eupyrene and apyrene sperm, and provide a foundation for future studies of sperm evolution, sexual selection, and reproductive protein function.
HostingRepository	PRIDE
AnnounceDate	2026-03-23
AnnouncementXML	Submission_2026-03-23_10:46:01.467.xml
DigitalObjectIdentifier
ReviewLevel	Peer-reviewed dataset
DatasetOrigin	Original dataset
RepositorySupport	Unsupported dataset by repository
PrimarySubmitter	James Walters
SpeciesList	scientific name: Pieris rapae rapae; NCBI TaxID: NEWT:596645;
ModificationList	No PTMs are included in the dataset
Instrument	Orbitrap Fusion Lumos

Revision	Datetime	Status	ChangeLog Entry
0	2025-11-14 18:05:39	ID requested
⏵ 1	2026-03-23 10:46:02	announced

Dataset with its publication pending

submitter keyword: LC-MS

Professor Jamie Walters
contact affiliation	Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas USA
contact email	jrwalters@ku.edu
lab head
James Walters
contact affiliation	University of Kansas
contact email	jrwalters@ku.edu
dataset submitter

Dataset FTP location NOTE: Most web browsers have now discontinued native support for FTP access within the browser window. But you can usually install another FTP app (we recommend FileZilla) and configure your browser to launch the external application when you click on this FTP link. Or otherwise, launch an app that supports FTP (like FileZilla) and use this address: ftp://ftp.pride.ebi.ac.uk/pride/data/archive/2026/03/PXD070767

PRIDE project URI

• PRIDE
  1. PXD070767
     1. Label: PRIDE project
     2. Name: Proteomic analysis of dimorphic sperm in the Cabbage White Butterfly, Pieris rapae